I can honestly say I have been a fan of GoT since its debut
on HBO in 2011. It was earlier between 2010 and 2011 I put it out on Facebook
that I was taking suggestions for a good book series to read. My friend Sheila
recommended ‘A Song of Ice & Fire’. I’m not much of a fantasy reader and I hadn’t
heard of it so I Googled it. It sounded fascinating to me and I was pleasantly surprised
to learn it was being developed into a TV series for HBO. Admittedly I had a
hard time getting through the first book so I decided to wait for the series in
the hopes watching it would help with the reading of the book. I was addicted
to the series right from the first scene of the pilot episode where the
Nights Watchmen encounter Wytes. I even showed it to my wife who was skeptical
about a “good” fantasy TV series but she too was a GoT addict, and we have been
watching ever since. All seasons were viewed multiple times.
My only real issue with the series as a whole is
timing/pacing of the series. This series is set in a medieval fantasy world
where the quickest forms of transportation are horseback and sail boat and the
quickest communication between great distances is by raven. Yet it seems word
spreads more quickly within the show than logic would allow and people travel
great distances very quickly. For example in season one Robb Stark calls the
northern banner men to assemble at Winterfell, then they will take the Kings
road to Kingslanding. The North is established as the largest of the Seven
Kingdoms and the messages to all the north lords were sent by raven. On the
show they were assembled and ready to march within a few days, maybe a week at
the most. In reality it would take days even a week for all those ravens to
reach their destinations, then it would take days or a week for those lords to
assemble all their men, then it would take days or weeks to march to
Winterfell. But again on the show all this was accomplished within a few days. Author
George RR Martin even cited this as an example of how timing is not realistic
on the show.
Now fast forward to season six, this was the season when
they moved past the books. The timing and pacing really started to move faster
and faster to the point where it was now becoming laughable. Example: In the
season 7 episode ‘Beyond the Wall’ completely defied all logic with its
internal timing. It’s even been proven that a raven covering the distance from
Eastwatch to Dragonstone (several thousand miles away) would have taken a
minimum of 5 days travel, and that’s assuming the raven doesn’t stop at some
point to rest. But in the show it seemed to only take a few hours…
Dan Benioff and D.B. Weiss are the showrunners of GoT and it was
they who decided to end the series at season 8 and with season 7 being only 7
episodes and season 8 being 6 episodes. The first six seasons had 10 episodes
each, the final season does have extended episodes but the runtime is still
less over all compared to other seasons. In my opinion the main plot threads
for season 7 and 8 could have and should have filled 4- 10 episode seasons. GoT
should have gone 10 seasons with seasons 7-10 being 10 episodes each. Season 7
and 8 as they are now feel rushed both plot wise and character wise. More time
should have been used to further develop these characters and certain other
plot threads could have been explored (looking at you Dorne) and expanded (the
Night King’s march on the seven kingdoms should have been an entire season in
itself). But I fear Dan Benioff and D.B. Weiss wanted to end the series sooner
rather than pass it off to someone else to run. So we are left with 2 final
seasons that were good but EXTREMELY rushed. Honestly some of the plot threads
in season 6 were rushed too fast and should have carried on into season 7.
Here’s a quick breakdown on how I think the seasons main plot
points should have gone after GoT moved past the George RR Martin novels (There
would be plenty more plot points & character development that I’m not
mentioning):
Season 6: Jon and Sansa rally the north and defeat Ramsay (which
they did do) with Jon being named ‘King of the North’. Dany returns to Mereen
after being rescued by Sir Jorah and her boy toy (and that’s it for her story
that season). Cersi takes the throne after destroying the Faith Militant and
Tyrells (as it was on the show). The Sand Snakes find a new ‘Prince of Dorne’,
Prince Oberyn’s strongest male bastard.
Season 7: Jon must rally the North and prepare for war against
the Night King and Cersi. Euron and his Iron Fleet attack the North and Jon
must battle against this new wildcard. Dany and her peeps take back Mereen from
the slavers, she forms her alliance with Theon and his sister (more time spent
on this development) and by seasons end she establishes a ruling democratic
government to rule over Slavers Bay when she leaves for Westeros. Cersi
meanwhile must battle against an alliance between the Dornish armies and Tyrell
army (that plot line could have ran a season). When the Lannister/crown forces
beat back the Dornish/Tyrell alliance they fall back and then are approached by
Varys to ally themselves with the Targaryan restoration. During this season we
learn of a cult of people living in Westeros and Essos whom worship the fabled
Night King (I’ll call them the ‘Night Followers’). They WANT him to destroy the
world and they plot to bring down one of the abandoned Nights Watch castles in
order for the army of the dead to pass through.
Season 8: Dany begins her war against Cersi with Dorne and the
Tyrell forces joining her. The Tyrells are defeated and the Dornishman retreat
back to Dorne to regroup. Jon meets with
Dany and urges her to go North to fight the dead. Dany needs proof so Jon
ranges north to bring a wyte back with him (this story should take SEVERAL
episodes. Dany does NOT come to his rescue and no dragon is killed). Dany is
convinced and they meet with Cersi and declare a cease fire. Cersi betrays them
by not sending her forces north. The Night Followers go to the abandoned ‘Sable
Hall’ castle and burn it down, opening the gate for the Night King to pass
through. Several of the Nights Watch are killed including Ed during this
battle. The Night King and his forces march south.
Season 9: The war against the dead takes most of this season
with the North and Allied forces suffering great losses and frequently have to
retreat. Dany is starting to lose her cool as her forces and advisors are
getting picked off one at a time. Cersi and her forces take Dragonstone from
the skeleton defense force Dany left behind (which included Messandi). Cersi’s forces
also crush the armies of Dorne, whom didn’t go north. By seasons end Jon learns
of his true lineage and he shares that with Dany, the Night King is defeated and
the long night is cut short. But Dany’s and the Norths forces are depleted, and
signs of her mental state are showing her beginning to snap. The only saving
grace is she still has her dragons…
Season 10: What’s left of the Northern armies and Dany’s forces
march south. Their first battle is at the Trident where they face off against
the might of ‘The Golden Company’. Dany’s dragons turn the battle in their
favour but one of them is killed and their forces are even more depleted. Dany
goes to Dragonstone to take it back but again one of her dragons is killed by
Euron. She escapes but her ships are destroyed, Messandi isn’t rescued and now
Tyrion is captured as well. Dany goes outside Kingslanding to negotiate only to
watch as both Messandi and Tyrion are executed. The remaining Dany forces sack
Kingslanding and she burns down the city with her dragon after going completely
mad. Worrying that Jon will betray her she orders his arrest and execution. Loyal
north forces free Jon and Arya kills Dany, and is killed as well. The northern
lords (thanks to Varys) back Jon’s claim to the throne. Bran wargs into Dany’s
remaining dragon and uses it to destroy the remaining Unsullied and Doltraki.
Jon assembles all seven high lords of Westeros, and in his first
(and only) act as King he declares them all Kings of their own independent kingdoms.
No more one king to rule 7 kingdoms. The new Kings/Queens break down as
follows:
-
The North: Queen Sansa Stark
-
The Westerlands: King
Lannister (a Lannister cousin, not sure whom. Someone young and wise)
-
The Reach: King Bronn of the
Black Water (Jon honors the vow Tyrion made with Bronn)
-
Dorne: A new Princess Martell
-
The Riverlands and Iron
Islands: King Edmere Tully
-
The Stormlands: King Gendry
Baratheon (legitimized by Queen Dany)
-
The Vale: King Robin Arryn
No comments:
Post a Comment